Would you have told these children off or not?

two boys i look after (aged 3 and 4) were "happily" playing in the garden whilst i was making lunch. i then discovered that they had thrown all the garden toys: bats, balls, skittles, play food etc on top of the shed and over the fence at the workmen who were replacing the neighbours windows.

I was furious. Instead of thinking "there's a good example of trajectory schema and ludic play" and "maybe i should direct their play into something more productive" - i really told them off and made them cry.

now i feel guilty - boys will be boys and they were only playing. was i wrong to show my extreme disapproval of their actions?

Would you have told these children off or not?
No. Children should be taught right from wrong. Throwing things at people is wrong and that type of behavior shouldn't be excused. I definitely believe in strong discipline. I would not only have scolded them for doing that but I would have also made them apologize. I guarantee they wouldn't have done it again. If they cried, it's ok that means they get it, they understand they were wrong. After teaching them that lesson they would be free to return to play as normal.
Reply:No, they need to learn that what they did was unacceptable.

Try and get them to realise that what they did was wrong and if they seemed to have learnt from their mistake and seem sorry for what they did, then you can say sorry to them as well, to let them know that you weren't being mean, just merely preparing them for life
Reply:you were wrong to a point you should have went to them removed them from the area then went back out side to calm your self you should never yell when your angery thats when the worst of you comes out then you feel guilty later. now that you took 5 go in tell them to apoligize and get there things and back into the house no more out side for awhile gool luck
Reply:i disaprove of all this soft parenting these days.... i don't mean traumatize the kid, but if you don't show them they're not supposed to do something in a severe enough manner they'll just keep doing it over and over...



sometimes you gotta yell and scare the crap out of them to get 'em to strighten up.. right? if not we wouldn't have boot camps...
Reply:Nah, they did something wrong. As long as your didn't hit them or anything (since you mentioned they are not your kids) I think you were fine. Do not feel guilty, they will not be scarred from you yelling at them but maybe they will not throw things at people again.
Reply:Maybe the way you went about it was wrong, but absolutely not. They need to know that what they did was uncalled for, and you should have made them apologize to ther workers.
Reply:I wouldn't leave a 3 and 4 year old in the garden by themselves. If you were watching them they wouldn't gotten that far as to throwing all that stuff. Part of it's your fault.
Reply:I would have told them off, but explained why it was wrong too, like it was dangerous or something.
Reply:no, you weren't really wrong, maybe "telling them off" was a little harsh, (and that's only because they are someone elses kids, some parents are just waiting for the moment to accuse someone of mistreating their kids)there's playing and there's misbehaving, %26amp; they need to learn that when they are with you, you're in charge. If it really bothers you, then next time you watch them, give them a little treat or something small and tell them you're sorry for scolding them like that, and explain to them why you did it, and that they shouldn't have done what they did, kids are very forgiving, that's if they even remember what happened at all :) good luck!